00969968

Monograph

The National Research Council convened the Committee on the Role of Technology in Marine Habitat Protection and Enhancement, under the auspices of the Marine Board, to conduct a multidisciplinary assessment of the needs for a coastal engineering strategy to preserve, protect, enhance, restore, and, where necessary, create marine habitats to mitigate or reverse coastal marine habitat losses. The committee reviewed available data and literature and conducted site visits to determine the state of practice of marine habitat management. The committee also solicited data and views and met with expert practitioners and researchers in federal, regional, state and local government agencies; research institutions; public interest groups; and professional societies. This activity was supplemented by visits to the Gulf Coast and the San Francisco Bay Area to examine individual projects. The audience for which this report was prepared consists of policy and project decisionmakers; members of the technical community associated with waterway and coastal design, construction, and maintenance; scientists and engineers concerned with design, construction, and maintenance of marine habitat projects; and the general public. The report is presented in eight chapters and four appendices. Chapter 1 frames the loss and degradation of marine habitats in the context of natural and human processes and identifies the need for engineering and science to work together to expand and enhance marine habitat management. Chapter 2 provides scientific and engineering perspectives on marine habitat management. Chapter 3 discusses engineering practices in the coastal zone as they pertain to the protection, enhancement, restoration and creation of marine habitats. Chapter 4 discusses lessons learned from committee-prepared case studies of marine habitat projects. Chapter 5 discusses institutional factors that inhibit project decisionmaking and implementation and suggests ways to overcome these obstacles. Chapter 6 examines the criteria used to assess marine habitat projects. It offers a multidisciplinary approach for achieving project objectives through improved planning and implementation. Chapter 7 identifies research needed to improve the scientific basis and engineering capabilities for application to marine habitat protection and restoration. Chapter 8 presents the committee's conclusions regarding the state of practice and recommendations to foster and enhance the interdisciplinary teamwork needed to improve the role of coastal engineering in marine habitat management. Appendix A contains biographical sketches of committee members. Case studies of specific projects and technologies are presented in Appendix B. Appendix C contains a source reference table and Appendix D a summary of solicited expert accounts.

English

201 p.

1994

0309048435

Appendices (4) ; Figures; References; Tables

Case studies; Coastal engineering; Coastal zone management; Coasts; Environmental protection; Field studies; Habitat (Ecology); Institutional issues; Interdisciplinary studies; Literature reviews; Recommendations; Research; Restoration ecology; State of the practice; Strategic planning

United States

Administration and Management; Environment; Marine Transportation; Policy; Research; Society

TRIS, TRB

Feb 27 2004 12:00AM